The present invention relates to an air cleaner which is a kind of electrostatic precipitator and which is used to eliminate floating fine dust and smelling substances in the air at homes, shops, offices, hospitals, and the like. More particularly, it relates to an air cleaner high in the effect of absorbing floating dust and other substances, easy to maintain, and having an improved electrode and filter arrangement to keep its high absorbing effect.
The industrial electrostatic precipitator machine which is intended to pass gaseous waste containing smelling toxic gas, dust and other substances through a high voltage region, charge the floating dust and other substances by corona discharge, and absorb and separate the charged dust and other substances from the waste was successfully practiced by F. G. Cottrell at the beginning of 20th century. Since then, it has become popular as being essential to factory facilities to prevent public pollution. In order to enhance the dust collecting efficiency, some improvements have added to it in the form of the wet or dry system. Further, various improvements have also added to it relating to its construction, but its fundamental theory is not changed.
As spiritual and physical healths attract attention more and more these days, cleanness is asked under life circumstances at home as well as labor circumstances and various home-use air cleaners have been brought to market to meet this demand.
These air cleaners use the principle of the above-described electrostatic precipitator machine and most of them are small-sized and made low on cost. When they are checked on their dust collecting efficiency and capacity, therefore, some of them cannot be deemed as practically effective, and particularly almost all of them pay no attention to their maintenance.
In the case of the air cleaner which uses the principle of the electrostatic dust collector machine, dust and other substances in the air can be eliminated in such a way that the charged dust and other substances are absorbed onto the minus electrode. As the absorption of dust and other substances advances, the surface of the minus electrode becomes as if it were covered by soot, thereby lowering the dust absorbing efficiency remarkably. Therefore, the charged particles are not absorbed but scattered to contaminate the surroundings by the soot-like dust. In addition, they hurt the eyes of persons around.
It was practically impossible for users to clean the minus electrode in the case of the conventional air cleaner. Further, maintenance including the exchange of filter was very complicated.